alluvial tin

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itsdw

Drew
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
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Location
FNQ, QLD
Heading out soon to a very well known tin mining area. Has anyone got any pointers on how to fossick for tin? Tin was recovered both alluvially and mined underground in the area. Im interested in the alluvial stuff. Just want to get some samples. Cheers.
 
Pan the same way as you would Gold... or Sluice with a little less 'Angle'. If it was Mined 'Underground' then just look for heavy Rocks.... or I have about 3kg here and can do you a small Sample Bottle... My Tin is from Inverell NSW tho....

LW...
 
LoneWolf said:
Pan the same way as you would Gold... or Sluice with a little less 'Angle'. If it was Mined 'Underground' then just look for heavy Rocks.... or I have about 3kg here and can do you a small Sample Bottle... My Tin is from Inverell NSW tho....

LW...

Thanks for the offer. I prefer to collect my own stuff where possible. Do u have a pic of what its like outta the alluvial wash?
 
Mmmm Yes I can do you a pic when my Daughter gets home tonight.... My Phone has a big scratch across camera lens so not good pics..... Tin is usually Black and very Heavy.... Not too sure 'what type' you have up there as it can have a 'Redish' tinge to it (Ruby Tin) or can be Grey( Poor quality) or a Black with a metallic Lustre to it ... :Y:

LW...
 
As Promised...
1496470250_img_2506.jpg


Tin with a bit of crap(Quartz).... Small roundish pellets.. :Y:
 
At least you are getting out.... All part of the fun... Keep your Eye out for Crystals too, as they go hand in hand.. Tin + Crystals= Bonus.. :Y: :lol:

LW...
 
Heading to topaz country as well. Not till mid july however. But nohing like getting excited early.
... or even super early
 
Know what you mean... Im off to Harts Range for a Month or two next Year...Every time I open my Computer for more Research... Im Excited :lol: :lol: Good Luck..

LW...
 
No gold where i am going. Was all around here. Just not there. Was mostly tin. Then silver and lead. I ca get colour in a pan 40mins from cairns. West or south. Not much. But its colour.
 
No Phil, it's Not Spinel. Spinel is a lot Lighter than Tin..... Kookabookra and the surrounding area was a very heavily Mined Tin/Gold/Sapphire area.. There was a Dredge in the Sara(Mitchell) River at Kookabookra after Gold and Tin in the Early Days..... Cassiterite is a Tin Ore... and comes in a few different Varieties, Crystal Form, Nugget Form and Granular form ...
The pic above is Tin from a Creek, so it's water worn... If you found a Deep Lead(Ancient River) the Tin would look simular to the Tin in my Pic, only a bit Sharper, or if you were in a Mine area it would be more like Nugget or Crystal form (The most sort after Type).... If you want I can post up pics of Spinel and the Different types of Tin I have here to Compare..

The Yellow container full of Tin is 45mm round X 120mm high and weighs just over 1kg.. :eek: ..... A 44Gal Drum full of this sort of Tin weighs about 1 Metric Ton... worth about $26,500 Aust dollars(Apr 2017)... :party: :Y:

LW...
 
Moneybox said:
LoneWolf said:
As Promised...
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/7355/1496470250_img_2506.jpg

Tin with a bit of crap(Quartz).... Small roundish pellets.. :Y:

LoneWolf we have a lot of that very heavy black stone that we thought was spinel. It came from Kookabookra in NSW. I thought cassiterite was more sharp and angular.

Phil

Yep, what LW said - the tin in his photos is rounded because it's stream-worn. I found a cassiterite crystal while digging for topaz at Mount Gibson, it had the classic crystal shape. I hadn't seen tin crystals before but I suspected it straight away because the area was an old tin working and because the weight of this little crystal - about the size of the end joint of my forefinger - was just amazingly heavy for something it's size. I actually ended up cabbing it, it's not properly transparent but sort of slightly translucent with reddish-orange reflections coming from inside.
 
Cassiterite Crystals are worth a lot of Money and are very Heavy... I have seen a few Cabbed Lefty and yes they have that 'translucent' Effect , and look very nice...

At Emmaville Gemfest last year, a Tin Crystal with Smokey Quartz and a Topaz Crystal were found on a matrix of Quartz. ... Very Rare and worth a considerable amount of money to a Collector ...... Wish I found that one.... :Y:

LW...
 
Lefty said:
Moneybox said:
LoneWolf said:
As Promised...
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/7355/1496470250_img_2506.jpg

Tin with a bit of crap(Quartz).... Small roundish pellets.. :Y:

LoneWolf we have a lot of that very heavy black stone that we thought was spinel. It came from Kookabookra in NSW. I thought cassiterite was more sharp and angular.

Phil

Yep, what LW said - the tin in his photos is rounded because it's stream-worn. I found a cassiterite crystal while digging for topaz at Mount Gibson, it had the classic crystal shape. I hadn't seen tin crystals before but I suspected it straight away because the area was an old tin working and because the weight of this little crystal - about the size of the end joint of my forefinger - was just amazingly heavy for something it's size. I actually ended up cabbing it, it's not properly transparent but sort of slightly translucent with reddish-orange reflections coming from inside.

Can you take a photo of your cassiterite crystal please. Ill keep my eyes peeled when i go out there.
 
itsdw said:
Lefty said:
Moneybox said:
LoneWolf said:
As Promised...
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/7355/1496470250_img_2506.jpg

Tin with a bit of crap(Quartz).... Small roundish pellets.. :Y:

LoneWolf we have a lot of that very heavy black stone that we thought was spinel. It came from Kookabookra in NSW. I thought cassiterite was more sharp and angular.

Phil

Yep, what LW said - the tin in his photos is rounded because it's stream-worn. I found a cassiterite crystal while digging for topaz at Mount Gibson, it had the classic crystal shape. I hadn't seen tin crystals before but I suspected it straight away because the area was an old tin working and because the weight of this little crystal - about the size of the end joint of my forefinger - was just amazingly heavy for something it's size. I actually ended up cabbing it, it's not properly transparent but sort of slightly translucent with reddish-orange reflections coming from inside.

Can you take a photo of your cassiterite crystal please. Ill keep my eyes peeled when i go out there.

I'll post a photo of the cab - doesn't look like a crystal anymore of course :) .
 

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